Apparatus for signaling and communication to moving trains.



PATENTEDJULY 14, 1908. KENDRIGK.

H. B. DE GROOT & W. A. v APPARATUS FOR SIG ND COMMUNICATION TO MOVING TRAINS.

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APPLICATION FILED MAR-10.1908.

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lllllllll .No 893,147. I I PATENTED JULY 14, 1908. 1;. B. DE GROUT & W. A. KBNDRIGK.

APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING ND COMMUNICATION -T0 MOVING TRAINS.

PLOTIO FILDM R.1.l0 A P I A B A 0 9 8 4SHEETSSHEET3 KM/W064. Q/Vilmeooao M M W No. 893,147. PATENTED JULYM, 1908.

H. 13. DB GROUT & w. KENDRIGK. APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING AND COMMUNICATION T0 MOVING TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10.1908.

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HENRY B. DE GROOT AND WILLIAM A. KENDRI-CK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUM- BIA, ASSIGNQRS OF ONE-FOURTH TO HENRY TO CHARLES E. KENDRIQK, OF WASHINGTON,

COPPERTHITE AND THREE-SIXTEENTHS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR SIGNALING AND COMJHUNICATIO N TO MOVING TRAINS.

Specification of Iiet ters Patent.

.Patented July 14, 1908.

Application filed March 10, 1908. Serial No. l20,211.

T 0' all whom it may'conce'rn:

Be it known that we, HENRY B. DE Gnoo'r and WILLIAM A. KENDRIoK, citizens of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Signaling and Communication to Moving -T1ains, of which the following is a specifi cation.

Our invention relates to electrically con trolled apparatus for signaling and commu' nication between moving trains or cars, and consists in providing such trains or cars with signal devices and telephone apparatus included in circuit with a battery or other source of energy, and actuating the signal devices and establishing communication be tween. the trains by means of a secondary circuit divided into blocks each of which is normallyopen, but which may be closed in such manner as to operate the signal devices wheneyer conditions arise involving danger to the train, either manually by the. action of an operator or agent or automatically by the entry'of two or more trains in one block, or by the action of circuit closing devices designed to give warningofabnormal or dangerous conditions existing on the track.

More specifically the invention consists in providing each train with a local circuit in which is included a battery or source of energy and a buzzer or coil provided with a vibrator which alternately makes and breaks the battery circuit through the coil, and in utilizing the magnetic discharge generated by the make and break in said coil to produce audible signals in a telephone receiver in a'normally open secondary circuit which in? eludes a block or'section of the track, whenever the secondary circuit is closed by the ass'age of a second train upon. the block, or y automatic or manually operated circuitclosing devices included. in said" secondary circuit. I

The invention consists also in the combi nation with batteries andbuzzers connected in local circuit therewith and. arrangedfto discharge. into and operate signals in a normally open circuit upon the closure of same in the manner described, oftelephone transmitters arranged in shunt around the buzzer coils, and. switches operated by the removal of the receivers from their respective hooks, whereby the buzzers maybe cut out and a talking circuit established in which the local Ibatteries areutilized for transmission purposes in the secondary circuit.

The invention consists also in combining with the above a battery switch and test circuit by which the operativeness of the circuit and apparatus may be determined.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a-signal. and telephone instrument constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a rear'view of the same with the back casing removed to show the interior arrangement. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation ,of the cab of a locomotive with the instrument in position and showing the general arrangement (if connections and brushes for making connection with the track circuit. Fig. 4' is a diagram of the circuits for that Jortion of the a paratus shown in the prece ing figure inclu ing the connections to the track and block rail. Fig. 5 is a diagram of a block or section of track showing'two sets of in struments in operative relation, with the apparatus in signaling position, and the signaling circuit indicated in heavy lines. Fig. 6 is a similar diagram with the talking circuit in operation and the talking circuit indicated in heavy lines. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating one arrangement of track divided into blocks and provided with circuit closing devices whereby the signal apparatus may be operated. And Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrat ing a second arrangement of track and method of dividing the same into blocks, to-

ether with various circuit-closing devices or operating the signal apparatus.

preferably of rectangular form, provided with an opening in its front within which is mounted a transmitter B. At one side and in the rear of the transmitter is pivoted a hook switch C, provided at its outer end with strument D, and at its inner end with an angular lever E adapted to act upon spring contact strips F in such manner as to make and break a circuit ,for purposes that will be presently described.

- Mounted on a horizontal shelf in the lower part of the casing A is a buzzer G, consisting Referring to the drawings, A is a casing,

a sustaining fork for holding a receiving in- 'lished.

in its essential parts of an electromagnet H, provided with an armature I having a contact point J, adapted to make and break with a back contact spring K, which is adjustable in relation to the armature through the action of a screw L, arranged to increase or diminish the tension of the spring, and the consequent gap between the contacts. Beneath the shelf and within the casing are mounted a resistance coil and a condenser which are included in a shunt circuit around the gap between the buzzer contacts in order to prevent sparking betweenthese points in a well known and usual manner. The telephone receiver D is sustained by the hook switch C in a vertical position above the mouth of a megaphone M by which the signals received in its diaphragm may be increased in volume. This megaphone is preferably formed of sheet metal and supported by an extension or bracket m secured to the side of the casing A. The casing is also provided. with binding posts N for the attachment of the track circuits, battery circuits and receiver cords.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing it will be seen that the instrument is preferably located on the side of the cab convenient to the engineer and the batteries located under the engineers seat. Attachment is made between the instrument and the track by means of leads 0, P, extending, one to a brush located on the axle of one of the wheels of the locomotive, and the other to an insulated brush which bears upon a block rail 12 located between the tracks.

Referring to diagram Fig. 4 which shows the wiring of the instruments the Fig. 1 designates a local circuit which includes a bat tery X, the coils of the buzzer G the armatureof the buzzer, the back contact of the buzzer, the lower contact of the hook switch and the opposite terminal of the battery X. Within this circuit is placed a switch 3, by which the circuit may be broken or establ/Vhen the switch 3 is closed and the hook switch is down upon the lower contact the buzzer will operate and the armature of the same vibrate in response to the alternate charge and discharge of the buzzer coil due to the makes and breaks produced between the buzzer contacts. This action will be con- 1 tinuous as long as the battery is allowed to v and the other side through the lead P to the block rail through the insulated brush. A circuit 6 including the transmitter is connected to the u per contact of the hook switch and to the ocal circuit and lead P at a point 7.

As will be noted by reference to the diagram the circuit 5 including the telephone I receiver is open at the track but will be closed whenever a train bearing a similar set of instruments enters upon the sanre block, as is indicated in Fig. 5. When this condition occurs, assuming the buzzer to be in action under the influence of the battery, there will occur with each vibration of the armature of the buzzer and with each break between the contacts in the buzzer circuit a discharge orkick from the buzzer coil through the circuit 5, the receiver 1) and the leads 0 and P to the track. This discharge or impulse has practically the same intensity as the energy required to charge the coil and produces in the tele hone'diaphragm a resonant tone technically known as a bowl of sufficient intensity to call the attention of the engineer to the fact that the'track circuit has been closed through outside causes. \Vhen this occurs and the engineer removes the receiver from the hook he will establish a talking circuit with the other instrument in the block as is shown in. Fig. 6. moval of the receiver from the hook breaks the lower contact and cuts out the back contact of the buzzer, makes communication with the upper contact of the hook switch and through the transmitter to the lead P and to the block rail. The other side of the transmitteris connected through the lever of the hook switch, the battery, the receiver and through the lead 0 to the wheel and to the track. hen this condition of the cir- The re-' cuit is established at both ends of the line,

the engineers of the respective trains can communicate with each other telephonically.

. It will be noted in relation to the above described ap aratus that by utilizing the magnetic disc large from the coil arran ed in the manner specified that we are enabled to signalfrom one train to another without the necessity of using pole changing devices to prevent the op osition of one battery to another, inasmuc as the signal circuit is entirely independent of battery current.

The system may be utilized with any arrangement of track and block system and utilized in connection with circuit closing devices for various purposes. In Figs. 7 and 8 are illustrated two forms of track and various circuit closing devices for notifying the engineer of certain conditions upon the block. In Fig. 7 the rails are divided into blocks 9, 10 and 11, the breaks between the blocks alternating with each other on 0 mosite sides of the track and the signal or biock rail consistin of a continuous conductor 12, intermediate y located between the rails. 13 and 14 are push button switches adapted to be located at a station, and used for the button serving to close the-circuit across"- from the block rail to the trackand thereby transmit a signal to the engineer. The numeral l designates a mechanism adapted to be operated a landslide or impediment from steep embankment, which operates u on the application of a heavy Weight to r ose acircuit across from the block rail to the track. This device consists of a pivoted plank, 15, carrying contact stri s, 15*,

adapted when the plank is depresse bythe action of a heavy weight, acting against the pressure of a spring, 15, to make contactwith the rail and close a circuit across to the block rail and thereby operate the signal apparat us. The numerals 19 and 20 designate arrangements of circuit closing devices adapted to give an alarm to trains approaching a; crossing, and to notify the engineer of a misplaced switch res ectively, the operation of the alarm in eaci instance followingu on the closure of a circuit across from the rm to the block rail as in the previously described cases. lit is obvious that any number of similar applications of a circuit closing device to the track may be made for various purposes, any one of which will serve to close the circuit between the outer rail and the block rail and. that upon said closure any train entering the block with the arrangement of instruments described will receive a danger signal audible to the engineer and.

warning of danger ahead. It is also obvious that a similar of instruments can be supplied to the stations along the road and c0nnected temporarily across the two sides of the circuit in such. a manner that the agent or o 'mrator may communicate with the engineer ol the moving train to notify him in relation of conditions of the track, or to transmit orders. I

ltis desirublc that the engineer should be able to determinethe operativencss of the circuit and instruments. A connection, 21, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4 is bridgcd across between the track and the block rail and provided with a push button 3 or circuit closing device 22, one end of the circuit 21, being attached to the lead 0 and the truck, and the other to a brush, 23, insulated from the engine frame and making contnct with the block rail 12 By pressing the button 22 and closing the connection 21, the engineer will be enabled to operate his own signal and determine both the o 'ierativeness of his instruments and the condition of his circuits and contacts with the track and '3 block mil.

lnnsmui'h us the batteries are in a local circuit, including the buzzer coil G, transmitlcr ll, hoolt-sn'itcll. (J and battery X, and the current. used in transmission is due to inductive action by the buzzer coil, there will I i l be no opposed action the batteries in the talking circuit. In other words, the ba tteries being in local circuit will notact 1n opposition :to each other in the track circuit,

the current in the track circuit being a purely induced current.

The arrangement of traek'shown-in Fig. 8

is ada ted to give. a'shorter interval for si nals t an that shown in Fig. 7. The addition of the second rail between the tracks and the. breaking of these intermediate rails into.

sections alternating with those of the track shortens'the signal interval by one-halt.

It is obvious that various arrangements of track may be utilized to meet varying co'n-v ditions and that modificationsmay be made in the a paratus within the limit of mechanv ical skil without departing from the scope of the invention.-

Having thus described our invention, what .we claimis:

1. In a signal apparatus ofthe kind de' scribed a local circuit including abuzzer and battery, a signal circuit including a telephone receiver and a normally open. block and means whereby the said block may be closed to receive the discharge from the buzzerfcoil.

2. A. local circult, a battery and buzzer located therein, a signal circuit, a telephone receiver located therein, a normally open block or track section included in said si nal circuit, and means whereby the open block may be closed through the tele hone receiver to receive the discharge from tlie buzzer coil.

3. A local circuit, a battery and buzzer included therein, a secondary circuit, a receiving instrument included in said secondary circuit, movable connections at the terminals of the secondary circuit connecting them to the track and block rails respectively, and a circuit closing device interposed between the track and block rail, whereby the secondary circuit may be closed to receive the buzzer discharge.

4. A local circuit, a battery and buzzer included therein, a secondary circuit, a receiving instrument included in said secondary circuit, movable connections at the terminals of the secondary circuit connecting them to the track and block rails respectively, the said equipment being carried by a mov-' ing train, and a similar equipment carried by circuit across between the track'and block rails and thereby cause a simultaneous signal to be received by the two telephone receivers through the discharge of the buzzer coils in said closed circuit.

5. In a signal apparatus of the kind described the combination with a local circuit including a battery and buzzer of a second-- ary circuit normally open at the track and provided with a telephone recciven, a hook switch operated by the removal of he telephone receiver, a shunt circuit closed Qt 1e .a second moving train adapted to close-the operation of the switch in such manner as to cut out the buzzer coil and a transmitter included in said shunt circuit, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a signal apparatus the combination with a local circuit a battery and buzzer included therein, a secondary circuit, a receiving instrument included in said secondary circuit and adapted to receive signals froma normally open block section upon the closure of the same, of a shunt circuit, a telephone transmitter included in said shunt and -a switch operated by the removal of the circuit, a local circuit including a battery and buzzer operating to produce audible signals in the tele hone receiver upon the closure of the signa circuit, a shunt circuit including a transmitter and a switch operated by the removal of a telephone receiver to cut out the buzzerand to cut in the transmitter and thereby change the signal circuit to a talking circuit, substantially as described. v

8. A local circuit, a battery and buzzer included therein, a secondary circuit, a receiving instrument included in said secondary circuit, movable connections at the terminals of the secondary circuit connecting them to the track and block rails respectively,

a circuit closin device interposed between 1 the track and block rail whereby the secondary circuit may be closed to receive the buzzer discharge, and a test circuit including a push button or circuit closer bridged across between the movable connections,

substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we aflix tures in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. DE GROUP. WILLIAM A. KENDRICK. Witnesses:

GEO. W. LDIKINS,

JAMES M. it oon mnn our signa- 

